The Messenger

Dear Fabulous Families -

Happy Catholic Schools Week! We've been having fun this week. Check out some of the photos below! Thank YOU for all of the support you give the school - especially this year!

If you have not been on the school website in awhile, you might want to visit stgabschool.org. We have updated the website with information and new content as part of our Catholic Schools Week Celebration!

We enjoyed meeting new families at our Virtual Open House on Sunday. Current families will have the opportunity to register next Friday, February 12, using the TeacherEase System. Please see additional information below.

A reminder from last week - We are about half-way through the year - and what a year it has been! I wanted to check-in with you to see how things were going. It's been hard not doing as many things in person this year. Please take time to answer questions on this anonymous survey so we can reflect, learn, and grow. The survey will close on Sunday, February 7.

If you have specific questions or concerns about something, please don't hesitate to contact teachers or administration.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXrd7wF-OdQpozYteCU3MwgH5rEdhA8eZWhGJYDX5VuWd26g/viewform

Just a reminder that there is a noon dismissal this Friday (February 5) and next Friday (February 12).

Peace and Joy -

Tonya McEnery

Principal

St. Gabriel the Archangel

Dan Winkeler

Assistant Principal

St. Gabriel the Archangel

In order to best understand who will be on campus learning and who will be live-streaming, please indicate which learning option you plan to pursue in the next four weeks. These choices impact the school days from February 16th through March 12th. February Learning Options.

We are asking that all options be selected by Wednesday, February 10th by noon. This will give our staff time to make the necessary adjustments for your student(s)

Any non-response and we will assume that your child(ren) will be learning in person.

Thursday February 4th- Celebrating Your Vocations. Special interviews during the prayer service. DQ treats for Kindergarten through 2nd grade.

Friday February 5th- Celebrating Faculty, Staff, and Volunteers. Half day- Noon dismissal

Support Healthy Hearts - If you have raised $5, you can wear sweatpants and a red shirt. (or you can donate $5 to wear sweatpants and a red shirt).

Saturday February 6th- Celebrating Families. Be on the lookout for a small gesture from students.

Registration for current families with incoming siblings begins next Friday, February 12. Please see the Tuition Payment Worksheet below or use this link, if you would like to print off a copy:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1W0rWjeZvdrpEmsveBNPXrY2NhGWy2tTCMm5TtZRkij8/edit?usp=sharing There is a registration fee of $75 per child.

Please note that we have included additional forms with a new electronic signature feature instead of sending these forms home. Allow yourself extra time to go through the registration process this year to account for this. Hopefully, this will save everyone time in the long run. We are trying to practice Habit #1 - Be Proactive.

For those of you who have a child entering school for the first time in kindergarten or another grade level (transferring to us from another school), you will need to provide hard copies of the following forms:

• Birth Certificate
• Baptismal Certificate (if not baptized at St. Gabriel)
• Current Immunization Record
• Updated Physical

New families will begin registering March 15. If you would like to be guaranteed a spot for next year, please register and pay your registration fee before this date.

Please see Tuition Reminders from Joan Miller below. Also, please fill out scholarship information using the information in the newsletter.

PLEASE NOTE: Unless you are enrolled in FACTS, ALL 2010-2021 TUITION should be paid in full. The 2020-2021 technology fee should be paid in full, and band fees should be at least two-thirds paid. Monthly statements are sent at the end of every month to those families with a balance due. Please review these statements for accuracy. These are sent not only to remind you of the amount due, but they are also sent to verify payments made or financial aid/scholarships applied to your account.

If the above are not paid:

• 2021-2022 registration will be held until your account is current;

• Eighth grade transcripts to be submitted to your child’s high school will not be sent; and

• You will not have access to your child’s grades when they are released at the end of the second trimester (February 19).

Please note: for those families paying from a MOST (Missouri 529 plan) account, the regulations state that the withdrawals are for K-12 TUITION ONLY. Fees should not be paid from MOST accounts. If you have questions, please consult your financial advisor or visit the Missouri MOST website.

For those participating in the Gabriel Care program, year-end statements are not required to be issued. The amount needed for your child care credit is simply the total amount PAID (paid, not billed) in 2020. The FEIN needed for the child care credit form is on your monthly statement. If you need the amount paid for care in 2020 or if you require documentation for your dependent care flex spending account, please e-mail Joan Miller at millerj@stgabrielstl.org. Thank you!

• Reminder - February 12 is a half day for planning and collaboration. Students get out at noon.

• PFA will be providing Smart Pop popcorn for a treat (individually bagged) for grades K-8 and activities for grades K-5 (game, craft).

• In regards to Valentines - Students in grades K-5 may bring Valentines to be put in whatever container teachers deem appropriate on Feb. 12. Then they will remain at school over the long weekend to be taken home on Tuesday, February 16. Valentines should be given to every child in the class.

• Teachers will give additional instructions for their specific grade level.

Please see the flyer below and use the following website to access scholarship information: http://ttef-stl.org/. Everyone is invited to apply.

Income levels may have changed this year due to COVID, etc. as well as family circumstances such as having a child attend a Catholic high school or enter college. These factors are taken into account when scholarships are awarded. It also helps out the school and our Support-a-Student Fund, if scholarships can be awarded through TTEF first.

The program is hosting webinars for private and parochial school parents on February 3, March 3 and April 14, 2021 These 40-minute seminars will review the state-sponsored MOST 529 Education Plan. Attendees will learn about the state tax deduction and how the plan can be used to save and pay for public, private, and parochial K-12 tuition, higher education, apprenticeships, and now student loan repayment!

Sign up here for more information: Webinar registration . Families can learn more about MOST 529 Education Plan by reviewing the program video.

Pre-registration links for the COVID-19 vaccination:

Individuals are encouraged to pre-register with the entity with which their primary physician is affiliated. For those who do not have a primary care physician, the recommendation is to pre-register with the health department in the county in which you reside.

WashU/BJC:WashU/BJC

St. Lukes:St. Lukes

Mercy:Mercy

SSM (current SSM patients can register through the MyChart patient portal):SSM

St. Louis City: residents can pre-register here City Residents

St. Louis County: residents can pre-register here County Residents

St. Charles County: residents can pre-register here St. Charles County Residents

Jefferson County: residents can pre-register here Jefferson County Residents

For quick reference of COVID-19 resources in previous newsletters, please click this link.

We are asking for any families interested in the Summer Program to please fill out the pre-registration form. The link to the form is below and it will be open now through February 15th. I know there is a lot of uncertainty right now but this will help to determine space availability. Final registration will begin in early March and those that pre-register will get first priority. This program is for incoming Kindergarteners through current 5th graders.

https://forms.gle/BPdUxQAXedHjVGnFA

Totus Tuus returns this summer to St. Gabriel. This is different from the Summer Program run by St. Gabriel. This program is sponsored by the Archdiocese and is more like a typical "Bible School". It will be July 5-9, 9:00-3:00.

More information coming soon!

Dear Parents,

Ash Wednesday is only two weeks away! We are sending home the CRS Rice Bowls today and will have additional resources in the upcoming newsletters.

The collection for Our Lady’s Inn went very well. Thank you all for your generosity! Last week, our 8th graders participated in the Archdiocesan Gen Life activities. Today, our 6th and 7th grade classes participated in a Focus 11 Archdiocesan Virtual Retreat. The theme had to do with “The glory of God is a person fully alive”.

Want to take the Mercy challenge? There is a calendar to download with simple (or maybe not so simple) actions to do.

https://www.sistersofmercy.org/get-involved/advocate-for-social-justice/mercy-earth-challenge/plastics-beyond-convenience/

Please join us for school Masses when you can.

For parents that attend Masses in person, here is a link to the parish website that lists the guidelines for distancing at Mass.

https://www.stgabrielstl.org/Resources/Parish-News/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/200462/Guidelines-for-Observing-Social-Distancing-for-the-Celebration-of-Mass

February

Tuesday, 2/9 1K

Wednesday 2/10 7A

Tuesday, 2/16 1C

Wednesday, 2/17 Ash Wednesday-Classes participate virtually. Ashes brought to students and faculty after Mass.

Tuesday, 2/23 4S

Wednesday, 2/24 5S

Saint Gabriel Community, Be Messengers of Hope and share the Good News- We are One!

Many of you became familiar with the the book we focused on last year, UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World. We did a faculty book study and a parent book study and learned about the importance of cultivating empathy in our students. I found out that Dr. Borba has a follow-up book coming out on March 2 entitled Thrivers. I have ordered a copy and look forward to reading it and thought, perhaps, you would, too!

Hello from the Gabriel Club:

In February we will have about ten openings for any family in need of after school care. Please contact S. Ann Francis Monedero, OSF at amonedero@stgab.org for information.

Also, it has come to our attention that some families might need before school care, i.e. 6:30-7:30 am. We are looking into this option for next year (2021-2022). If this is a concern for your family, please also contact S. Ann Francis Monedero, OSF. If there are enough families needing this service, then we will see how we can address this issue.

In the meantime, Gabriel Club sends many blessings for a New Year!

Sr. Ann Francis

Gabriel Club Director

Thank you for all the delicious treats that you donated to Stock the Lounge. A special shout out goes to PFA for coordinating these efforts!

February 5 - Noon Dismissal

February 6 - Follies - Moved to May 15

February 12 - Noon Dismissal (Calendar Adjustment)

February 15 - Presidents' Day - No School

February 19 - End of 2nd Trimester

March 11 - Student led conferences - noon dismissal

March 12 - Teacher Professional Development - No School

March 20 - Save the Date - Virtual Auction

March 25- First Communion Parent Meeting 6:30 pm in church

April 1-9 - Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter/Spring Break

April 12 - School back in session

April 15- Confirmation

May 2- First Communion

May 4 - Vocal Concert

May 5 - Band Concert

May 7 - Field Day, noon dismissal

May 15 - Follies - Tentatively Scheduled

May 21 - Mystery Day

May 25 - 8th Grade Graduation

May 28 - Last day of school, noon dismissal

This Lent additional Reconciliation times will be available as well as Stations of the Cross on every Wednesday in Lent starting on Feb. 24 from 6:00PM until 7:30PM. We hope everyone takes advantage of these opportunities.

Saint Gabriel School Yard * Policies

In our desire to be good neighbors the following policy is necessary for the St Gabriel school yard. Our school yard is surrounded by homes and some have young children; in order to keep noise levels down and allow these children the proper sleep time the following policies are being enacted:

• A 9pm Curfew on St Gabriel School Yard.

• Those gathering on the St Gabriel School yard, in accordance with City safety guidelines, must wear a mask if they cannot keep a six-foot distance from each other.

• Facemasks are recommended as a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the mask coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice. This is called source control.

* This has been updated to mean church and school property